what's the fastest processor i can use with...

[narlus]

my existing mobo:
http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?modelmenu=1&model=455&l1=3&l2=15&l3=171

[Kornphlake]

the fastest socket 939 processor you can find.

[narlus]

which is??? i've got 3000+ AMD one now, i think.

i could use some more power. i've got 4 GB of RAM already.

thoughts?

[BadDNA]

Here's a nice little jump in speed for you: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103543

[binary visions]

The one BadDNA linked is probably working on the fastest you'll be able to go without jumping to a Socket AM2 mobo and hence also upgrading to DDR2 memory (which is pretty inexpensive now so the upgrade wouldn't be all that expensive).

Actually, if you want to spend a few bucks:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103002

or this for a little less money:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103582

[narlus]

big swing in prices...70 to 170 to 230...

this wouldn't affect my power supply, would it?

i could just power down, pop the old proc out, pop the new one, and power back up? easy as that?

[binary visions]

Your PSU will be fine.

If you buy OEM, you will need some kind of thermal grease for the new chip and to transfer your heat sink/fan over. If you buy retail, it will come with a new HSF & thermal grease

The Opteron comes with a pretty nice heatpipe setup on the heatsink.

[Secret Squirrel]

Your PSU will be fine.

If you buy OEM, you will need some kind of thermal grease for the new chip and to transfer your heat sink/fan over. If you buy retail, it will come with a new HSF & thermal grease

The Opteron comes with a pretty nice heatpipe setup on the heatsink.

You and antimony must have some pretty interesting pillow talk... :pirate2:

[H8R]

If you buy a retail box with a new heat sink, then yes it's just as you described. If you are re-using the heat sink with an OEM proc, it will need to be cleaned (90% or purer rubbing alcohol) and you will need to get some thermal transfer material to replace what is cleaned off.


EDIT - what BV said.

[H8R]

The Opteron comes with a pretty nice heatpipe setup on the heatsink.

This is true, they are better then alot of aftermarket ones.

[H8R]

You and antimony must have some pretty interesting pillow talk... :pirate2:

Considering she has been skinned and stuffed, she IS the pillow.

[narlus]

so a friend of mine @ work is telling me to not throw good money after bad, and get a new MoBo, processor and RAM...maybe i can keep all the other junk, and install the new stuff in my existing case?

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/09/19/toms_socket_am2_motherboard_summer_slam/index.html

should i go Core2/Intel? Or stick w/ AMD?

i'd mainly want some more horsepower for photo editing...running batch processes on large RAW files (which will only get larger if i get a higher resolution body) tends to hang my CS 3 and i have to use task manager to kill it. it's getting annoying.

[binary visions]

If you bought a new processor, motherboard and RAM all of your other stuff would work with it (including the case).

That said, it's a lot more expensive to go that route. It's all well and good to imply that you're throwing good money after bad, but your current setup is all sunk costs so the question is, do you spend $170 and get 2.4ghz x2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103582), or do you spend a whole lot more to end up in a similar position?

If you're looking at it from an upgradability perspective, you'll want to bag your current setup and switch to one of the new sockets since a new processor will be the last upgrade you'll be able to nurse out of this computer. If you don't want to spend the bucks, though, the Opteron will provide you with a lot more horsepower for a fairly small investment. Do you have a use for this computer after you're done with it - maybe for one of the boys? If so, the $170 processor will extend your investment and you can buy some new stuff when the upgrade bug itches again, and still have a useful computer to pass along.

[binary visions]

BTW, if I had to choose right now, I'd go Core2Duo simply because they seem to love to be overclocked. That's free performance with little effort.

[H8R]

i'd mainly want some more horsepower for photo editing...running batch processes on large RAW files (which will only get larger if i get a higher resolution body) tends to hang my CS 3 and i have to use task manager to kill it. it's getting annoying.

I'd do a leap frog. Go cheap w/ the minimum bump you need to get by or go big.

Go for the cheapest X2 proc than can fit in a 939 socket so you aren't taking a big $$ hit for your existing upgrade path, or go all Core 2 Duo or Quad, getting as much speed/ram as you can afford right now.

If you go Core 2 Duo, sell me your old ram.
:monkeydance:

[drakan]

I've got one of those boards too --
The FX-60 is the best, IIRC. Dual core and gaming proc. Expensive though.

[binary visions]

...sweet, so you can get an FX-60, a paltry 200mhz faster, for more than twice the price! ;)

Actually, you can get the 2.6ghz X2 Opteron, for $100 less than the FX-60, and still get a sweet heatpipe cooler. I'm actually a little confused as to why anyone would buy the FX-60.

[Pat...]

Is it a bad idea to overclock with a regular Core2duo heatsink?

[H8R]

Is it a bad idea to overclock with a regular Core2duo heatsink?

Just watch the temps.

[blue]

Just watch the temps.

^^^^

Mine is OC'd from 2.66 to 3.2 and runs slightly higher than stock, idling at 33.0C on stock cooler.

Will be upgrading soon, though.

[drakan]

Something about the FX-60 had some optimized settings, could run higher core temps, better for overclocking...
Dunno, read something about how they had unlocked multipliers

Larger cache I think also.

[binary visions]

The cache is the same size as the Opteron, the unlocked multiplier was just because it was a 2.4ghz chip so they unlocked the multiplier and bumped it to 2.6ghz. There isn't a chip in AMD's lineup (or Intel's) that's considered safe at high temps. There really isn't much of an advantage.

BTW, H8R, I'm typing this from a new Ubuntu installation. Wobbly windows and all.